OPPORTUNITY HUB A PLACE TO CALL HOME
Prepared For :
Golden Valley Social Value Caroline Dyer
B y F l o r e n c e N y a s a m oT h o m a s
COMMUNITY ASSETS: THE AFRICAN DIASPORA AS A 'COMMUNITY OF INTEREST'
Buildings and other amenities within neighbourhoods, towns and villages play a vital role in local lives In addition to communities and buildings located in specific geographical areas, we need to acknowledge and recognise the gathering of people that share a common interest, bond or identity which generates a feeling of attachment which can be viewed as 'communities of interest'. The London Assembly recognises the importance of such groups and as part of their scrutiny exercise on The Localism Act, 2011 they asked for feedback on the importance' of assets on the basis of communities of interest rather than communities of locality ' (London Assembly, Planning 2014:30) www livesofcolour co uk
At a recent 'Let's Speak on it' event held to discuss some of the issues within the community in Cheltenham among many others, the following comment was captured in regards to a safe space for the community
Golden Valley Social Value
Golden Valley Social Value
THE SPACE
By Florence Nyasamo-Thomas
COMMUNITY KITCHEN & RESTUARANT
Food has always been a strong tool in bringing people together. While Cheltenham has a variety of restaurants and food events, including Food Festivals, Cheltenham would benefit from a Centre that would showcase food from around the world, championed by the community groups living in and around the town. This venue would not only deliver food for those working/hot-desking from the hub, but would be a place where diverse communities can hold cooking classes, offer catering services and where the town can taste authentic cuisines from across the globe This would also be a revenue generating asset for the hub, and would provide employment opportunities for chefs within these communities
CO-WORKING SPACE
Working from home has been very successful for many organisations during the pandemic but for our communities a safe space to develop for individuals and organisations to cater for their community needs, a physical office space is vital. Not only would this be impactful for the growth of community organisations and/or individuals, but this would be a revenue driving asset for the Opportunity Hub in the age of remote working.
By Florence Nyasamo-Thomas
COMMUNITY MEET UP
Historically, Gloucestershire has been viewed as a place to socialise, have children and retire While this has been of benefit to older generations, it has meant that most of the counties young talent move away to large cities such as London, Bristol or Manchester etc. The Cheltenham Opportunity Hub would alleviate the brain drain as it will provide a Young Entrepreneur space that will support Young Talent locally The Young Entrepreneur Space will cater to young talent in the area by providing: - Access to information, tools and a safe space to support their entrepreneurial endeavours - A space to connect with professionals - A network of like-minded entrepreneurial individuals This will enable young people in the area to see how they can progress within the county and inspire them to seek entrepreneurial growth
Communities tend to thrive when they can come together and share experiences under one roof Since mid 1980’s Kisumu, Kenya has been a friendship town of Cheltenham and many Africans have settled in the town many more refugees from around the world are settling in the town and these needs need to be catered for and with no visible community asset to offer required services. Research by the Ubele Initiative found that there were only 3% of community assets within the southwest for African and Afro-Caribbean heritage communities. These spaces will allow the communities to host events that educate and bring better understanding between one another. This would also be a safe space for after school clubs, businesses and organisations can learn more diverse communities through workshops designed by community groups
www livesofcolour co uk
Golden Value Social Value
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o m a s Golden Valley Social Value Podcast and video recording studio for our youth for creativity as and is able to serve all of these communities where they can share their stories will bring people together These stories shared through established networks in Cheltenham will enrich the whole of the town and beyond and build a more resilience society Having an exhibition space that doubles up as a music centre for our community will encourage intergeneration learning and exchange of knowledge and improve representation within the creative industries Communities will be able to express their art and music adding to a new genre of the art and music to the already established scene locally. 'Without community buildings and assets (including night clubs, record shops, restaurants, bookshops, general retails outlets and social housing) we will have limited foundations or basis to build and support a strong network of self-sustaining, independent and financially viable organisations' (Ubele Inititaives; 2015:8)
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